Senator declines testimony in ethics probe, invokes Fifth Amendment

Democratic Senator Nicole Mitchell declined to testify before an ethics panel regarding the burglary charges against her. Invoking her Fifth Amendment rights, Mitchell chose to remain silent during the proceedings, which were attended by a panel consisting of two Democrats and two Republicans. The panel remained divided on how to proceed following Mitchell’s arrest and subsequent charging with first-degree burglary. Her fellow Republican Senator Eric Lucero criticized her actions as a violation of Senate rules and a source of distrust within the Minnesota Senate. However, Democratic Senator Bobby Joe Champion suggested that waiting for the evidence to be thoroughly evaluated would be the most prudent course of action. Mitchell was previously elected to represent District 47 in the state Senate in 2022. She served as a meteorologist for KSTP-TV and Minnesota Public Radio before becoming a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air National Guard. Her defense team has indicated that she may enter a plea at a later date, but this decision may be postponed. The ethics panel has decided to take no further action until the end of the legislative session on May 20.